What Becomes of Friends
by Yum-Yum
Summary: Long after Dib's death, Zim is still battling his offspring and trying to forget Irk. But can he find peace and finality after being bitter so long?
1. ~~Prologue~~

Disclamer: This is a fanfic written strictly for pleasure, not for pay. Zim belongs to Jhonen Vasquez. I think that should be sufficient for you.  
  
~~~@~~~  
  
  
  
The wind was cold as it ran past Zim's face. He was so tired. He could hardly feel his legs. His heart thudded and exploded in his chest as he sucked the night air greedily. Zim dashed down the long streak of road before he ducked into an alley. He slowed his heart and strained to listen. He knew the kid was there. He was always there. Nothing could be heard though. This part of town had been silenced by age. No one lived there anymore. Even the slightest noise could be picked up by Zim's trained ears, but he heard nothing. It had probably only been his imagination...  
  
He exhaled softly and allowed himself to relax.  
  
"Damn that kid. I was sure I heard him."  
  
His calm could not be savoured for long. He heard the cackle-cruel and loud- behind him. Zim spun around, and there was Trek.  
  
"I've caught you now, Alien!" Trek spouted confidence as he pushed back his black hair.  
  
Zim sighed and turned to the boy, his face hardening with hatred.  
  
After so many years, Zim's hunters had really gotten impersonal. Few even bothered to learn his name. Actually, after Dib had been defeated, the war wasn't fun anymore. His offspring just didn't twinge his interest. Of course, his life was ruined anyway...  
  
"Stop daydreaming, Alien!"  
  
The Irken warriors head snapped up, and he snarled.  
  
"What give's you the right to scare the hell outta me like that? I don't appreciate having to run home every night becuase of you!"  
  
"I have to defend Earth!" Trek screamed vengefully.  
  
"I'm not interested in yur little filthball anymore, Trek," Zim said, piercing him with a hateful stare. "There's no point trying to anymore."  
  
"Why should I believe you? You're a no good alien!"  
  
Zim began to mutter under his breath in his native tounge, and Trek frowned.  
  
"What are you saying?!"  
  
Zim turned to his adversary and smirked.  
  
"You're just like your father, and your father's father, and his father's father, and his father before him! But you can never replace Dib!"  
  
"Shut up! My father failed! But I won't!"  
  
Zim fiddled with the hem of his trenchcoat.  
  
"Oh, you won't, will you?"  
  
"I won't!"  
  
"That's what Dib said..." he looked up at Trek playfully, "And that's why I'm wearing his coat."  
  
"Don't mock me!"  
  
"I'm not mocking anyone, Trek. Just leave me alone."  
  
"Never!"  
  
"Fine."  
  
Trek charged Zim, who easily overpowered and shoved the child to the ground, knocking him unconcious.  
  
"I guess a century of added height really helps. Two feet," he smiled," The Almighty Tallest would be proud."  
  
Zim clenched his teeth.  
  
"No they wouldn't."  
  
~~~@~~~  
  
Ok, there's the first part. I have a whole story to build on this, and I will write and post it, if you give me enough good reviews. Thanks. 


	2. The Past Dies Ever So Slowly...

Disclamer: This is a fanfic written strictly for pleasure, not for pay. Zim belongs to Jhonen Vasquez. I think that should be sufficient for you.  
  
~~~@~~~  
  
Gir opened the door when he heard Zim knock. He always did that. If anyone else knocked he couldn't open the door. Zim had told him that. He didn't want to make master mad. Master was scary when he was mad. Gir didn't like being afraid.  
  
"Hello Master," Gir said weakly as Zim walked in.  
  
"Hello Gir."  
  
Zim was always unhappy when he came home. He looked tired today, and Gir liked it when Zim was tired. When Zim was tired, he wouldn't yell at Gir and make him afraid.  
  
The Irken flopped onto his couch unceremoniously and sighed.  
  
"Do you need anything master?"  
  
Zim looked to the floor. His pile-o-garbage, got quieter everyday. He wasn't going to function much longer. Zim's stomach sank and he reminded himself that Sirs don't last forever. He didn't want Gir to stop working though. He was the only companion Zim had, and although he had been quite disagreeable at first, the years had made him very submissive.  
  
"No, Gir. Thanks for asking."  
  
"Can I make a cake master? We can share it?"  
  
Zim smiled. He liked it when Gir ate. He was only a shadow of what he once was, but when he ate, he regained his lost Gir-ness.  
  
"Yes Gir."  
  
Gir skipped into the kitchen, and Zim put his hands to his temples. The days seemed to be getting longer and shorter all at once and the Trek-kid didn't help. He layed down and thought about all the Membranes he had faced. Stupid 'paranormal investigaters'...  
  
Both and Gir were quiet as they sat at the kitchen table. Zim stabbed his cake numerous times before he put his fork down. Gir devoured his piece of cake quickly and reached for another.  
  
"Can we go visit Gaz tommorrow, Master?"  
  
Zim leaned his head on his hands and closed his eyes.  
  
"Gaz is dead, Gir. Remember? She's been dead a long time."  
  
Gir looked puzzled. Then he also put his head down and said:  
  
"I think I remember. I miss Gaz."  
  
They were silent again.  
  
"Can we go see Dib then?"  
  
The table was overturned before Gir realized his mistake.  
  
"Dib is DEAD, Gir! DEAD! He took you away and I killed him for it! Don't you remember, Gir? Why don't you remember?!"  
  
Gir's eyes filled with tears.  
  
"I'm sorry, Master. I just don't remember..."  
  
"Of course not. Of course you don't remember! You can't even remember what you had for breakfast! I'm all alone on this damn planet with nothing but a defective Sir to keep me company! Even my enemies are gone, Gir! Everything I care about is gone, Gir! Why? iWhy/i did the Tallest do this to me!?!"  
  
Zim broke into heaving sobs, but no tears ran down his cheeks. He collapsed onto the ground, and Gir left the room, frightened.  
  
And so there he was- drowning in memories, riddled with pain. If they would only let him forget Gaz...Dib...Irk...he could be happy. But that was impossible. They had been his life, and now, they were gone.  
  
~~~@~~~  
  
I hope you like the fic so far. Keep the reviews coming! 


	3. An Invader Stands Triumphant and Alone

Disclamer: This is a fanfic written strictly for pleasure, not for pay. Zim belongs to Jhonen Vasquez. I think that should be sufficient for you. Also note that this chapter is basically a flashback and a monologue.  
  
~~~@~~~  
  
The Earth's sun burned brightly and comfortingly as Zim walked down the sidewalk to school. Gaz and Dib were waiting for him on the corner. Dib greeted him accordingly.  
  
"Hello iZim/i. I hope that your next plan for global domination is better than the last one! It's getting way too easy to kick your ass."  
  
Zim smiled.  
  
"Stupid human. My next plan shall be the greatest, most dominating plan ever!"  
  
"Good. I wouldn't want my world fame to be too easily won."  
  
It was their freshman year in high school, and all was right with the universe. Three years had brought the Membrane children and the Irken Invader pretty close, and although Zim and Dib kept up their rivalry without flaw, they were friends nonetheless.  
  
"I have to get to class. See you losers later!"  
  
As Gaz walked toward the junior high in her trademark, unenthusiastic way, Zim decided that if she weren't so violent and scary, she would be somewhat attractive for a human.  
  
It was like that nearly every morning. They would meet, go to school, and then later, after school, Zim would bring Gir to Dib's house so he could visit with Gaz. Then, they would go home and Zim would continue on whatever plan he had to take over the world. It was very routine and yet every thing seemed new every day. Life was simple, and Zim liked it that way.  
  
It wasn't until Dib had concocted his own evil plan that Zim's life had changed for the worse.  
  
Dib wasn't in class that day. Zim thought he had gotten sick. It was, after all, cold outside, and Dib had been wrestling in the snow with him only last night in order to obtain the formula for a deadly dizease Zim had made. Gaz confirmed that he was, indeed, at home with flu.  
  
When the end-of-school bell rang, Zim ran home to get Gir so he could visit Gaz and Zim could see if Dib was alright. But as Zim opened the door and searched the house for the little robot, he found Gir wasn't there. There was a note on the couch written in Dib's all caps fashion, and Zim found it to be directions to a building where Dib wanted to duel. He went, and Dib was there.  
  
Gir was there too, laughing and clapping happily. When Dib saw that Zim hadn't come unarmed, he retreated up the long flight of stairs up to the roof of the building. Zim followed.  
  
Once at the top, Zim realized how cold it was. He discarded his weapon,  
  
and the fight began. It was tough for Zim to keep his balance on the snow covered surface, but the difficulty only made the fight more exciting.  
  
"Well, how's that Zim? I thought this would be a nice setting for our ifinal/i and most epic battle!"  
  
"Final, Dib? You don't really think you can beat me, do you?"  
  
"Don't underestimate me!"  
  
Dib ran toward him. Then slipped. Then slid straight toward the edge of the building. As he fell, Zim had made a desperate tear with his claws to save him. But he had fallen. Only after Zim had heard his soft cry and his body breaking on the pavement, had he seen that the battle was over, and that he still held Dib's torn coat. It's contrast with the snow was painful, and it whipped around in the freezing wind like a flag of bittersweet victory over Dib.  
  
That had been the turn. Everything went downhill form that point. Just days after Dib's death, Zim had contacted the Tallest, and they had ordered him to stay on Earth. Forever. They hadn't even told him why. The years passed and Zim tried to live out his life as he had, minus Dib and his numerous plots to destroy the world, but he was miserable.  
  
Gaz got married and gave birth to the first of his hated rivals. Zim knew the wormbaby when he was small, but Gaz told the boy- his name was Rok- about Zim and what he really was, and the kid had spent the rest of his life trying to kill him. Zim had waited until Gaz died to destroy his new rival, but by that time, Rok had gotten married and had had his own children, and a chain of enemies resulted.  
  
That was when Zim had taken Dib's old trench coat and put it on. He grew due to some experiments he had conducted- a desperate attempt to get the Tallest to accept him back- so he simply tore off the sleeves and made the coat a sort of vest. This article of clothing became a symbol of evil to every spawn of Dib there was.  
  
And things could only got worse with time...  
  
~~~@~~~  
  
Sorry Dib fans! I love him, really! I also want fans of the Tallest Red and Purple to know that I don't hate them too. Seriously, they're my fave characters. Keep reviewing! 


	4. Fear Remains Despite Your Bravery

Disclaimer: This is a fanfic written strictly for pleasure, not for pay. Zim belongs to Jhonen Vasquez. Is that ok?  
  
~~~@~~~  
  
The darkness in the room was smothering. The night was far too cold and the silence outside made Trek nervous. He had come home hours later than he was supposed to-all because he had let himself be defeated. His head throbbed and he laid back down in bed. He could hear creaking- long, scratchy, gritty- like the alien's voice- beyond the pool of light staining the floor, outside the window.  
  
'Come outside, Trek... If you don't come outside I'm going to come get you...'  
  
Trek held his breath. He wasn't going to let the alien scare him, so he slid more deeply into the security of his covers. His face got hot and he took a breath of the stale, dry air under the blanket. There was no more sound. Not a sound at all.  
  
'Come outside...Fall out of the window, Trek...I'm waiting for you...'  
  
Despite the heat, Trek began to shudder violently. He couldn't stand being all alone with the alien just outside his window. His dad had told him horrible stories about him when he was alive. The alien would kill him if he didn't kill the alien first. He didn't want to die. So he would slay the monster-save humanity- just like the brave warriors in the story books.  
  
Not now though! Not now in the unforgiving dark! The silent, cold, painful dark! He couldn't stand it anymore!  
  
The hallway wasn't long, and Trek was standing in front of his mother's bedroom in a matter of moments. He only had to reach for the doorknob to get into the room and escape the alien's evil. He only had to reach...  
  
'Yeah, that's right, Trek...Run to your mommy...She'll protect you...All babies need protecting, Trek...'  
  
"No!"  
  
The whisper was hoarse, like splintered wood.  
  
"I can't be afraid of him. I have to save Earth!"  
  
And, as if by magic, the fear left him. He was alone in the hallway, and the alien was gone. So he trotted back up the hall.  
  
The room was different now, when he stepped into it. It wasn't as cold, and noises abounded. It seemed to be full of ideas- thoughts. They flew through the air, resembling hair ribbons in a calm breeze. All Trek had to do was catch one. When he did, it became quiet.  
  
Golden leaves holding desperately onto their branches fell to a mass grave below, where they died in silence surrounded by their families.  
  
The much-used street, likewise, was deathly silent as cars passed.  
  
The wind carried midnight riders through the air and into the velvety blackness of the sky in divine and serene silence.  
  
Trek fell asleep clutching a plan, one that would surely destroy the invader, in a beautiful and perfectly empty silence, and the night thereafter was calm and undisturbed.  
  
When the boy woke the next morning, he could feel a newly discovered knowledge running through his veins and an even better scheme that could not be beaten. Trek would win this time. No doubt about it! He would get his revenge...  
  
~~~@~~~  
  
Alright, it was short, but I'm trying as hard as I can, and I know where this is going, so keep reading and reviewing! 


	5. I've Stood Here Before...

Disclaimer: This is a fanfic written strictly for pleasure, not for pay. Zim belongs to Jhonen Vasquez. I think that should be sufficient for you. Oooh! Great tip: read the ending while listening to the Like Cockatoo's by The Cure. It's hella awesome.

~~~@~~~

Every morning immediately after the sun arose, Zim would leave the house. It wasn't a long walk to the convenient store, so he could get all his errands done before people became active and ruined the sweet solitude he enjoyed. The streets were always filthy with people after a certain time-not that they weren't filthy anyway. He noted the eerie silence that followed him. Trek had completely memorized Zim's routine by heart, and he usually took the opportunity to follow him in the morning. He wasn't there though. 

"Must be sick..." Zim muttered under his breath.

And so he went without worry or consequence to the convenient store.

He got what he needed. Some chips, milk, pancake mix for Gir, and eggs. When Zim had been ordered to stay on Earth, he was surprised at how easy it was to get used to the food. Almost unnaturally easy, he had thought. Then he had come to the conclusion that he had never really been intolerant to the food, he had just made up his mind to despise everything on earth. Being forced to live there conditioned him to the situation. 

He checked out like always and left the store. A strong feeling of deja' vu came over him as he began walking home, so he ran home instead. It didn't help at all what had already occurred.

No one answered the door. That wasn't too unusual-sometimes Gir was too busy playing in one of the lower levels of the house to hear him. So he went in through a secret opening in the back. 

The house was quiet. This wasn't too unusual...maybe Gir was hiding. Maybe he knew Zim was there and was afraid that he was angry with Gir for not opening the door.

"Gir?" His voice bounced around the empty room, mimicking him.

"I brought you pancakes Gir..."

There was no reply.

"Gi-err?" Zim's voice cracked. That was what alerted him to his own fear.

He found the note by the door. Wrinkled and torn in places-as if it had been shoved carelessly into someone's pocket then ripped out again.

Zim almost expected it to be in Dib's handwriting.

It was not, but it was still like a painful memory.

Trek was going to meet him outside at 10:00. Trek threatened to destroy Gir. Trek meant business.

Zim was tearing the note to shreds before he realized the seriousness of the situation.

Trek wasn't Dib. Trek wasn't going to fool around. Trek wasn't going to treat Gir well.

This wasn't like the last time.

Not at all.

Zim knew that, and he wasn't prepared to let everything die again.

No...Not even close.

The day was long and nerve-wracking. The house was silent, and Zim was too depressed and shocked stupid to do anything but wait. So he waited. He waited and he thought. He thought about Gaz and Dib and skool and even Miss Bitters. He came close to crying a few times, then he lounged on the couch, then he peeled some paint off the walls- all the while wary of what was going to take place. He didn't feel he could accomplish anything that day and he wasn't about to try. So the day was uneventful. Uneventful and devoid of any kind of pleasure.

And so, all around the world, clocks ticked with an unbearable rhythm- never ceasing. Never stopping. Just going on and on in an endless circle counting down the minutes to everyone's inevitable end. For no reason at all. As the evening drew near and the sun began to sink behind the trees covering the horizon, Zim heard every ticking clock in the world, and he felt no comfort as he left his house and waited in the street.

He didn't wait for any end though. 

He was just waiting for Trek.

~~~@~~~

All right! I got the chapter finished! Stay with me! It is time we move on to the climax! Wheeeeeeee!


	6. Have You Lost It All Again?

Disclaimer: Zim and Gir don't belong to me. Yeah, that's right. Ok, this is the action part, so get ready.

~~~@~~~

Trek walked down the street nervously with the android under his arm. It was tied up- he wasn't going to chase the damn thing again. He approached the alien cautiously. He knew how dangerous it was- he knew it had no mercy.

It took him a few moments to gain the courage to speak.

"Alien! I have your robot, and you can't have it back until you've defeated me!"

Zim stood at the end of the sidewalk, silent and morose. The light of the setting sun made him a dark silhouette. The air was still and the sounds of the city beyond were lost to them.

"Master!"

The creature from another world jerked its head down to look at his android's small form illuminated by sunlight. It was badly dented in places and one of its eyes was cracked. It had obviously put up a fight. Zim was glad.

"Gir! Be calm! I'm going to save you!"

His voice, which was still unusually shrill, reverberated off the buildings and caused a sleeping cat to wake up and run off into an abandoned house. Trek began to get frightened. His plan had seemed so perfect when the dream had come, but now he wasn't so sure. Could he defeat Zim with the weaponry that he had? It had seemed so customary before to just combat hand to hand. Now that he had something else he didn't know if it would be right to use it. The alien was unarmed, Trek hoped, and deceiving it seemed unfair. Then again, it was much taller than he was, and stronger too, despite how thin it was. Trek didn't stand a chance without trickery, and he needed a chance. He needed one for humanity.

The sun fell completely over the side of the Earth and it was night.

Zim prepared himself for battle. He wasn't expecting much of a fight, but he wasn't going to take risks when his only companion was involved. He took a moment to breathe, and then began to charge.

It was moments like this that he had been made for. His whole body functioned as a perfect unit in this moment- he could not stumble and he could not stop.

He plunged into Trek. They struggled for a moment, and the child fell to the ground. Zim leapt onto him, but Trek took the opportunity to deal a serious kick to Zim's chest. The alien rolled off of Trek and took a sharp breath followed by a barely audible groan. Trek stood up and threw his fist as hard as he could at his opponent. It landed in Zim's waiting fist.

"Stupid child."

Zim pulled Trek off-balance and began to beat the child mercilessly with his own fists.

Trek knew that if he wanted to win, he had to use what he had, and soon- so he did.

He pulled the object of glittering steel from its hiding place, and thrust it with powerful force into Zim's venerable stomach.

The world stood quiet for a moment as Zim registered the cold blade entering his body and the intense pain that followed.

Zim screamed. His whole body screamed. The high pitched wail was loud and long and it could be heard for miles, Trek knew it.

Zim stumbled backward, doubled over, as he clutched the knife.

"Y-you...you..."

Trek stood up. He was filled with fear and it was apparent.

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...I'm sorry"

Zim lowered his head then looked back at Trek again.

"There is no sorry, human! There is revenge!"

He gripped the handle of the knife and clenched his teeth while he tore it from his body. 

Trek thought quickly and jumped toward Gir. He caught it off guard and clutched it tightly.

Zim was already headed his way.

"Don't come any closer! I'll crush its tin can of a head! I swear!"

He stopped in his tracks and held his hand out.

"Give him to me Trek. Give him to me."

"No."

He began to advance again, so Trek began to retreat. He moved as slowly as possible to the brick wall behind him then ran for it when Zim didn't stop. 

He lifted the robot over his head and got ready to swing.

"No! Don't destroy him! Let him go!"

Trek looked to Zim. His eyes were wide, frightened orbs. Trek could almost detect a hint of moisture.

"Master!" Gir's eyes were filled with tears, "Don't let him hurt me!"

Trek faltered for a moment, but Gir's fate had already been decided.

Gir's head was torn to pieces upon its second impact with the wall, and its body was easily broken beyond repair. Trek could not appreciate this- being stabbed in the back can be distracting.

He fell onto his face screaming in pain and terror, but he could not scream for very long- he hadn't the strength in his body. 

~~~@~~~

*Shields herself from the Gir fans*

"I'm sorry! It's angst! Please! The ending is redeeming! I swear!"

Anyway, please be patient for the last chapter, and review me! REVIEW ME!


	7. Freedom

Alright, this is the end! *weeps* I want to thank all the faithful readers who have stuck to this fic till the end, and everyone who has taken the time to review me. I've really enjoyed writing this, and I hope that you've had a good time reading it.

Disclaimer: Zim doesn't belong to me, I've just been borrowing Jhonen Vasquez's characters for creative purposes. You can't take Trek without asking me, and please refrain from using my story with permission.

~~~@~~~

Zim closed his eyes and tried not to hear Trek's haggard breathing and frantic cries. What had made him so brutal, he couldn't recall. It had been satisfying, yes, to plunge that knife into Trek, over and over, but it was sick and sadistic also. The child lay at his feet, his hair matted with his own blood, as he cried and seized the hem of Zim's shirt with frail hands, pleading wretchedly.

"Don't...Don't let me die.... Please...I don't want to die now! I wanna live! Let me live! Save me," Trek implored, ".... Save me..."

Zim's voice was strangled as he opened his mouth to respond.

"I can't save you, Trek. You're going to die."

Trek's eyes widened and his face paled to a ghostly white more sickening than death usually allowed. 

"No! Please! You can't let me die! *Please*!" 

His throat was dry, and his body seemed to be going numb. He could feel the blood in his veins draining and flowing into the street and the breath in his chest get weaker and weaker as he struggled against death.

"I don't care who wins anymore...I don't care...I just wanna live..."

Zim could find no words to reply. He looked down at the Trek, so small and vulnerable, a child at best, with a face sad and naive- nothing at all like Dib's. Dib had been strong, brave, and almost mature as he grasped with white knuckles his goals and dreams. This waif was not willing to give everything for what he wanted. He was not like Dib. Not at all.

Zim was filled with shame as he looked down at Trek and watched him die. He was freezing and he knew that it was death- not wind- that chilled his very core. The youth shook, stiffened, and fell forever under mortality's seductive spell. 

Zim quivered as he turned his face to the darkened sky and fell to his knees. For the first time in a hundred years he shed tears. A tortured howl escaped its prison and flew into the icy air as Zim bawled with no reserve.

"Why Dib?! Why did you leave me?!"

Zim was struck with a realization.

"But it wasn't your fault, was it?"

He laid his head on Trek's body and held it with agony.

"It was *my* fault..."

The wind blew unsympathetically.

"I'm so sorry Dib.... You were my friend... it was my fault...I'm so sorry..." 

And it was over.

Zim stood, wiped his wet face with blood soaked hands and picked up Trek's unanimated body. He took it inside and retrieved Gir's remains as well, before placing them together on the living room floor. He bandaged his wounded stomach and went below. He came back up a few minutes later, carrying a long forgotten box, one who's contents he hadn't thought he would have to put to use. He placed it onto Trek's chest and went upstairs to his vootrunner.

He hovered a safe distance away before pushing a button. He felt unbelievable relief as he witnessed his base explode in a burst of light and heat. He relaxed slightly as he looked down at what had once been an inescapable prison cell. 

"Goodbye Gir."

He hesitated a moment then spoke again with quiet reverence.

"Goodbye Dib."

A smile touched his lips as he gazed at the stars he had been afraid to look at for so long.

Zim knew he would be alright, because for once in his life he couldn't fail-

He was finally free.

~~~@~~~


End file.
